Curtain track



March 3i, 1931. E, SETTPE `1,798,561

" CURTAIN' TRACK Filed Sept.. gg, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 s.- wg I m p' $5 n l RN C y N .e Pw

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@1L Y 'QX O. I I l w R m l Inventor Y Bru/ee Sele A llomey March 31, 1931. B. sETTLE CURTAIN TRACK Filed sept. 18, 195o 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor ,Brzoce S'ezze A x'lomey Patented Mar. 31, 1931 PATE. @FFI-.CE

BRUCE SETTLE, OF OKLAHOMA GITYQOKLAHOMA CURTAIN TRACK Application led September 18, 1930. Serial No. 482,856.

This invention relates to curtain tracks for operating two sections of vertically disposed curtains toward and away from each other as desired.

An object of the invention is Vto provide an open construction of the curtain track by the use of track irons which on most .tracks issupplemented by a solid wood or metal side that acts as a sound boxand tends to amplify the sound thereby making the operation of the curtains very noisy.

Another feature Vof the invention is to provide travellers which hang below the track runner through which the operating line passes thus eliminating any chance of one traveller becoming .crossed with another which is a common occurrence yon tracks with operating line passes vat the side of the travellers instead of through them.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a track of the character referred to that is very simple in its operation, fairly reliable for its intended purpose, strong, compact and durable, and comparatively' inexpensive .to manufacture.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention Yconsists of anovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter vmore specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is disclosed an embodiment of the invention, but 'it is to `be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to' without departing from ythe 'spirit 'of 'the claims -hereto appended;

Inv lthe drawings wherein Alike reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure l is a sideelevation of the track in accordance with the present invention showing the curtain section mounted thereon and in partly closedposition,

Figure 2 is la top plan View of the curtain track,

ligure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the track,

Figure 4 is a sideelevation of one of the travellers, -and Figure 5 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially online 5 5 of Figure 4.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention .6 and 7 indicate generally a pair of tracks in accordance with the present invention supported in horizontal position on any suitable surface. The inner endsof the tracks 6,7 are overlapped as clean ly shown in Fig-ure 2 Vof the ydrawings sothat the curtain sections 8, `9 overlap each other when in .closed position.

Each of the tracks 6, 7 may be of any desired length depending upon the arca to be enclosed by the curtain. The tracks yare each formed in a similar manner ,and its belived that a description of one will clearly show the yconstruction of the other. Each of the tracks consists of a horizontal hanger board 10 preferably rectangular in cross section. Throughout the length of the hanger board 10 at spaced intervals are space-d pairs of aligned hanger plates 11, 12 disposed on the opposite sides of the hanger board 10. The hanger plates 11, 12 are anchored to the hanger board 10 by means of screws 13, 11i. rThe lower ends of the pairs of hangerV plates 11, 12 depend below the lower edge of the hanger board 10 as at 15, 16. To the inner faces of the depending portions 15, 16 of the pairs of hanger plates are anchored the spaced rails 17 18 that support .the travel- 1ers to vbe presently described. f The .rails 17, 18 are preferably formed of wood while the pairs of hanger plates 11, 1-2 are formed of metalf Between the lower edge ofthe hanger board 1.0 and the :upper face of the rails 17', 18 is a space Vor pocket 19 and there isvalso a space 20 between the confronting faces of the rails. The length of the rails 1,7, 1:8 are coeXt-ensive with the track section 6, 7 and likewise the hang-er board y10 is coextensive therewith; Each ofthe rails 17, 18 on their confronting faces are formed with recesses 21, 22 to' countersink the heads 28, 24 of the bolts 25, 26 respectively and anchor the rails to the pairs .of hanger straps 11, 12.

There are a plurality of travellers indicated generally as 27 which slide along the wooden rail 17 18 and these travellers will support the upper edge of the curtain sections, 8, 9 at intervals. Each of the travellers are constructed the same and the following description will apply to all of them. 'Ihe travellers 27 include an elongated shank 28, loosely mounted on which is a ball 29 and is preferably formed of maple wood. The upper end of the shank 28 extends loosely through openings 30 extending diametrically through the ball 29. rlhe outer endl of the opening 30 merges with an offset shoulder 31 in which is received the bevelled head 32 having a kerf 33 therein so that the shanks may be turned. It will be seen that the ball is free to more downwardly on the shank 28 but cannot be moved outwardly when the head engages with the seat 31. The traveller 27 further includes a sleeve 34' having a threaded socket 35 projecting from one periphery thereof which receives the threaded lower end 36 of the shank 28. The shank 28 is locked to the socket 35 when the nut 37 is tightened against the upper face of t-he socket. Depending from the opposite side from the socket 35 is a lug 38 formed on the peripheral wall of the sleeve 34. rfhrough the ,center of the lug 38 is an eye 39 through which the hooks 40 on thc upper edge of the curtain sections 8, 9 are detachably engaged. The hooks .f 40 are anchored to the upper edge of the curtain sections 8, 9 at spaced intervals so that the curtain sections will have a draped effectwhen closed as is clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing at the `confronting edges of the sections.

In assembling the track in accordance with the present invention the balls 29 of the travellers 27 ride in the pocket 19 of the track section 6, 7 on the confronting upper corners of the rails 17, 18. The shank 28 of the travellers extends through the space 2O and slides freely therein. The curtain sections 8, 9 are carried by the lugs 38 on the sleeve 34 of the traveller. On the free end of track section 7 is a sheave wheel 41 suported below the rails on a bracket 42. On the free end of the track section 6 are a pair of sheave wheels 43 supported on a depending bracket 44. Anchored to the floor 45 in alignment below the pair of sheave wheels 43 is a single sheave wheel which is anchored `to the floor 45 by the adjustable bracket 47. By having the sheave wheel 46 adjustable the operating lines to be presently -described are maintained in a taut condition which prevents the curtain from being irregularly spaced.

The operating lines indicated generally at 50 consist of two runs on lines a and b one run of which is trained over one of the sheave wheels 43 and the other of which is trained over the other sheave wheel 43. The two runs cross in the center of the rails as at 51 and p one end of the line is looped about the sheave wheel 41 on the end of track section 7. The

sheave wheel 46 which is adjustably anchored to the floor. The sleeves on the traveller ball 27 are all disposed in horizontal alignment and the upper run of the operating line b extends through the sleeve 34 on curtain section 8 while the run a has a cross run Z2 at the center 51 passing-through the sleeve 34 carrying the curtain section 9. Thus it will be seen that to the left of the crossing point 51 the lower run a is free of engagement with any portion of curtain section 8 and at the right of the crossing point 51 the lower run b is free of engagement with curtain secton 9. The series of sleeves carrying curtainsection 9 slide freely on the run Lof the operating line 5() with the exception of the inner one indicated at 52 which is anchored rigidly to the operating line. The sleeves 34 carrying curtain section 8 are also free to slide on the runb 'of the operating line with the exception of the inner sleeve 53 which is anchored thereto. v It therefore follows that when the operating lines 50 is moved in one direction the curtain sections will be drawn together to form a smooth vertical wall with the inner ends thereof overlapping. Adjacent the inner inner ends of each track section is a strap 54, 55secured across the rail 17, 18 which prevents the traveller 27 from slipping off the inner ends of the track sections. The sheave wheels at the end of the track sections 6,7 prevent the-travellers from running off the opposite ends of these sections. When the operating line is pulled in the direction'oppoy leo l The present embodiment of the Ainvention Y has been disclosed in considerable detail merely for the purpose of exemplification since in actual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statementof the invention and the above description.

It is to be understood that by describingin detail herein any particular form, structure or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims, or the requirements of the prior art.

Y Having described my invention, what I claim is: Y f

1. In combination, a pair of vertically hanging curtains, a pair of longitudinally disposed curtain tracks for supporting the curtain sections having the confronting ends thereof in overlapping i relation, pairs of spaced rails depended below the curtain tracks, hangers connecting the rails with the tracks, two series of travelers slidably .supported on the rail each series carrying a curtain section, aligned sleeves on the two series of travellers, an operating line including two runs that are crossed, the one run threaded through the series of sleeves carrying one curtain section, the other run threaded through the series of sleeves carrying the other curtain section, and the confronting sleeves of each series anchored to the operating line on the opposite sides of the points where the runs cross one another.

2. In combination, a. pair of vertically hanging curtains, a pair of longitudinally disposed curtain tracks for supporting the curtain sections having the confronting ends thereof in overlapping relation, pairs of spaced rails depended below the curtain tracks, two series of travellers slidably Supported on the rail each series carrying a curtain section, aligned sleeves on the two series of travellers, an operating line including two runs that are crossed, the one run threaded through the series of sleeves carrying one curtain section, the other run threaded through the series of sleeves carrying the other curtain section, and the confronting sleeves of each series anchored to the operating line on the opposite sides of the points where the runs cross one another, the runs on said operating lines being crossed adjacent the overlapping ends of the track sections, limit stops across the rails at the overlapped ends of the tracks sections to prevent the travellers from running olf the tracks.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

BRUCE SETTLE. 

